Rainbows & Hummingbirds

Some years ago, I discovered a perfect time to water my gardens. Perched high aloft on our deck, the forest shades my beds while the hose water prisms with sunlight. I no longer "have to go water the gardens", rather I "get to go make rainbows". This year, in one particular spot a young, female hummingbird joins me. She watches from the perimeter, seemingly to make sure I acknowledge her. Only after I have done so does she fly into the spray & dance in the shower. She alights on a young sumac tree, each morning where she flaps & preens. What a joy !!
I am reminded of a sentiment of Sarah ban Breathnach: "'Simple Abundance' has enabled me to encounter everyday epiphanies, find the Sacred in the ordinary, the [miraculous] in the mundane, fully enter into the sacrament of the present moment." The Hand of God at work is quite easy to see in the smallest of moments, when I simply pause to look with care.

Standing Outside The Storm

It was a crazy week of running around, so by the evening's activities, I waited outside during camp. The church is high atop a ridge with a spectacular view of the Blue Ridge mountains. I once stood in the sunshine for an hour while thunder storms raged in every direction. Swallows & martins danced in the air all around me, with the occasional screaming, run-through by killdeer. I watched the very hawks that once nested behind my home glinting auburn against slate-blue clouds as they rode thermals in & out of the evening rays of the sun. Absolutely beautiful!

It was amazing to watch as different storm cells would form & erupt in the distance. The winds eventually began to rip all around me, as the flashes & crashes closed in. I have a better understanding of storm-chasing, now. It was amazingly exhilarating! At last the clouds closed in on the ridge where I stood, but as the rains fell the sunshine poured forth. There was even a horizon-to-horizon rainbow !!! It was actually a double, but I am partial to this image.

Seasons of Friendship

When I moved out of my parent's home, my first housemate & I couldn't have been more different, one from the other. I was the wacky artist, teaching an alternative population & out to save the world. She was an orderly professional, on an upward climb in Congress. (Our 3rd housemate kept us from killing each another.) When our lease ran out, we eagerly went our separate ways, though mutual friends kept us in contact.
Once or twice a year, my family makes a pilgrimage "home" & to my continuing amazement, if we see no other friend, we always get together with her family. Funny how people grow & change. Marriage, children, work & of course, age have a way of shifting one's priorities. She & I don't keep in touch all that often but we are there for one another (as best as the 500+ miles between us allows).


Friends are often apart for varying seasons. Mature friendships understand & weather these times. As those seasons grow & wane in my own life, I always hear Linda's voice in my heart. "The true measure of a grown-up friendship isn't how much time you spend together, it's that you can pick right up where you left off when you do see one another".

Thorns & Mirrors

Sometimes life feels like the bad ending of a good movie. It would have been altogether different had those I placed my trust in done the right thing…or, at least if they had not remained focused on themselves. Where is the justice? What do I tell my child? Does anyone have integrity these days? I cry out, “My God ! My God! ” It amazes me that He who has the whole universe to run hears my pleas & my anguish. In gratitude, I approach the Throne. I am once again, reminded how I often I let Him down… The flaws I am so angered by in others are my very own. I must turn & tend to the log in my own eye … and I must learn to forgive as He has forgiven. As he hung dieing, His final thoughts were of me. His final words were a petition of forgiveness for those who put him there! How can I so readily point the finger at those who would persecute me, when Jesus died for them?
Following Christ is not an easy journey. The Bible reminds me that I do not travel alone. He accompanies & strengthens me for that which I know I must do…

Between 2 Worlds

I love what I do with my days! Others would call it, "work" or their "job". For me it is what I have chosen to fill my days with. In college, I bounced between a lot of majors, but ultimately returned to my first goal: to teach middle school art. I love art & I love kids...it's a no-brainer. I have a blast watching them grow as artists. I love bringing them new media & techniques through which they can express themselves. I am uplifted by constant wonderment in what they will do & who they will become...When the last bus is gone, I still find it difficult to leave. There is a reflective anticipation in the room. Planning & preparing for what I will bring them next can be remarkably exhilarating.
I have been teaching & discovering middle school artists for nearly 10 years. I have always wrestled with finding a balance between "my 2 lives". Several times this week, I found myself climbing into my van, arms laden with school work only to find it was well past suppertime. Returning home I wondered how I had missed another day with my family...You see, I love both of my worlds: school & home. My National Board mentor modeled for me how to bring continuity to my life by including the kids in my home life. After 8 days back in the classroom, I am already fully entwined in the life I have chosen...& this wrestling. My inspiration & excitement is revived!

Farewells and New Paths

Sadly, I must bid farewell to many students with whom I've grown deeply attached, over the past several years. I have watched them grow from timid, elementary children to young people preparing to enter high school.

As they go their own ways, I have a feeling that I am entrusting, "my babies" to strangers: their families. I will continue to see some of them, regularly and that is comforting. Some will stop by to visit, while others I will see occasionally around town. There is a magical bond formed through art that transcends the heart-felt, "How are you?" and "Are you still creating?" kind of catching up in these random encounters.

Creating alongside one another develops a unique and intimate closeness. A deep connection is forged when nurturing someone on their own artistic path. I discover new ways of seeing. I learn to see through their eyes, experiences and hearts. I watch young artists grow and encourage them along their own, unique path~and then, the time comes to set them free.
Now, I find myself wondering many things: Have I instilled in them a love for art and for creating ? Have I given them the skills they will need as individual artists? Did I encourage them enough? Will they continue to create, no matter the course their lives take? Is there a chance that, somehow, the magic will return or continue?

One can never be sure of the course our futures will take. We must cherish the moments we have and make the most of every encounter...We must open our hearts to genuine love & relationship. In this way, we allow ourselves to feel deeply and lean more heavily on our Heavenly Father. We learn to have faith in the promise that Jesus made in John 14:16, " I will pray the father and He will send the Comforter [Holy Spirit], that He may abide with you forever".

Early Impressions

Prior to the last photo class I took, I was to shoot 100+ images without regard to light, composition, balance, etc. This was very difficult for me...to shoot without thinking artistically. The goal was to identify what things attract my eye. What I realized most is that I am attracted to texture...particularly mixed textures. It made sense and yet, felt odd. As a visual artist, I render smooth, gradual shading in pencil, paint and pen.
My brother, Wesley, and I periodically go "grazing" at the store. This is something we don't do often, but LOVE ! We will be gone for hours. We always find ourselves in weird, off-beat sections of the store...I noticed that we will point and look and, "wow" at the same thing at the same time...and it is usually texture-based! I commented on this and he said, "It makes sense. We both grew up in the same house." We are also drawn to the same shells when we beach comb together.

The home my parents chose to raise their kids in was built by a contractor for his daughter, who only lived there a short time. He had outfitted the place with all kinds of cool and varied textures...white gravel, framed in wrought iron in front of the fireplace which was double-sided in a rose, stone wall. there were copper tiles in the kitchen, more gravel in the bay window. Several of the plaster-walled rooms had one wall of a different kid of panelling.Outside there was brick, gray stone and wood. There were fields arund and forests nearby.
It is amazing to me how our surroundings, subconsciously affect our preferences. The youngest of 8 grand kids, I was the only girl. I was a tomboy and was always trying to keep up with my brothers and boy cousins. All the adults wanted to keep me in pink and ribbons and lace... As an adult, this has become my "comfort color"...the color that makes me happy...the color I wear when I want to feel loved or just plain comfortable. Early impressions may be more lasting than we think.
Next time....an array of different shell textures...

Peony: A Unique Look

This image just puts me over the top ! I think it is so beautiful ! I find it very comforting. The lines create great movement throughout the composition. The varied hues create a sense of subtle depth, which leads the eye into the image. I turned this one every angle and kept coming back to the one as it was shot. There is a certain tension in it. I especially like the angled lines against the softness of the form, particularly in the second petal down. There is something unsettling about how the composition and the frame meet, which adds to the juxtaposed effect. (BTW< I took this leaning over,completely upside down).
On the "Day of Firsts" post (April 2), I put up 2 pictures of an iris. Nearly everyone prefers the first...so I posted it. I prefer the latter one. I would be interested in your comments on that one as well as on this one. Also, let me know if you, "just don't get it" (for either one)...I would be very interested to know that.


Here is the image turned 90 degrees...It is somehow reminiscent of The Venus de Milo, or perhaps angel wings. There is a subtle sexuality to it like this.

Here is a wider shot, to help put it in perspective and enable you to understand the subject.

Bob the Peony

This is Bob. Bob is a peony, named in honor of an old neighbor of ours, from our Maryland days. His yard was completely circled with peonies from his mother's house. The fragrance is luscious...similar to roses but not as overdone. This year, Bob the Peony had 31 big, gorgeous blossoms, right across from our front door. Without HVAC, we have had all the doors and windows open and our home is filled with the fragrance !!! Fantabulous!


Our neighbor, Bob, was the "old guy on the street who always knew everything that was going on". It was an oak-lined neighborhood of Post-WWII, GI-Bill, Cape Cod-style homes. Bob was retired and when he wasn't tending his gardens, he would stand at his open door, watching. When he would spy something unusual, he would call his wife, Jean. I loved to mess with Bob. At the time, I thought I was allergic to grass and wore a white, dust mask to mow the lawn. This aroused Bob's curiosity. As time went on, I developed my "lawn mowing uniform": white lab coat, hard-hat and dust-mask with white, storm- trooper, wrap-around sunglasses. I wore this outfit even in humid, 100+ degree, D.C. sauna conditions. Bob always called Jean to the door. Both would stand, with hands to open mouths and watch me mow the entire lawn. Never once, in all those years, did either of them comment on any of this....but every time I cut the grass, I donned my outfit and saw them from the corner of my eye.(I wish I could remember the tree-trimming outfit I wore...I think it was a tarzan sorta thing......)

I like to make events out of mundane tasks. I have been in search of the perfect, white, froo-froo GOWN for weeding my gardens....I believe in making life as fun as possible... entertaining the neighbors is just an added bonus!

Job Hazards & Crack Cream

My hands get so nasty from being washed so much. They give my auntie fits! I wash and wash and wash. They get so dried out, they split open and bleed. Zim's Crack Cream...no lie... is DA BOMB to heal / prevent this. Paint gets caked into the dry cracks. This picture is from a month or so ago. A few weeks ago, they were caked with white earthenware, clay...now it is papier mache'...we are making pinatas, masks and Daruma san, goal-setting dolls. FUN ! FUN !!!!
Today, we start glazing. Time for my end of the year mantra, "Load the kiln, fire the kiln, unload the kiln, load the kiln, fire....." It is so awesome to see the kids' faces when they get their pottery back!! "Pretty, Pretty, Shiny, Shiny". It is truly magical!!! One of the BEST parts of my "job" !!!!

Seashells as Metaphor

Both of these compositions are as I found them..."Still-Life by God".
I like the whole notion of shells as metaphors for life, forgiveness, and faith. Collecting shells is seasonal in that, specific shells are more likely to be found at particular times of the year. Spring-time brings a lot of the same shells in different sizes. I think it is awesome that this comes at the time of year when we remember Christ shedding His blood and giving up His body, so that we might have new life in a new, spiritual body.
Tom and I "escaped from D.C." 11 years ago and have certainly put on new "shells". We are now homeowners, lake / forest dwellers; grandparents, "older parents" of a young boy, dog and rabbit owners, have a pool.....you get the idea. We have lost friends and family through death and circumstance, and gained new ones as well.There have been even more dramatic changes in our inner selves.

My "Cross to Bear"

So many choose a rushed and hectic lifestyle. We take it for granted that if we can just get IN bed, we will get proper rest. This is not true for 50-70 million Americans who suffer with one or more sleep disorders. People think we are lazy, complainers, spacy, &/ or slackers. We have unexplained bruises at furniture level, suffer depression, drag our feet, and are prone to illness. It doesn't matter how much or how little sleep we get, we don't get quality sleep. Without the right kind of sleep, it is as if we had never slept at all. My husband says that I, "flop around like a fish on a pier." I awake in the morning with legs that ache as though I had been climbing stairs all through the night. My arms, and often my entire body feel weighted....and I start my day.....
I am not saying all of this to complain, but to explain. Perhaps you know someone like I described. (Have them look into a sleep study.) It is my hope that you will literally thank God upon waking feeling rested, restored, and renewed. Tom always adds to his prayers, "Thank you for our blessings known and unknown"...I hope you will pause to be grateful for proper rest.

Please Don't Call Me "Religious"

Please don't call me "religious"...Religious people are the ones who crucified Christ. They continue to crucify Him today.
Folks in Jesus' time had gotten so caught up in the "Shalt nots" that they failed to love one another. That is why God sent Jesus, His Son. The vast majority of non-believing people I have met, were "raised Christian", and yet they do not know Christ. They have been so brain-washed by judgementalism that they do not know who Christ really was and IS.
If you want to get to know the REAL Jesus: who He was and is, why He came and what He is all about, PLEASE FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF. Start with the Book of John. If you want a quick biography, read the Book of Mark. John, Jesus' "beloved disciple" gives us a great understanding of who Christ really was.....Jesus hung out with sinners...prostitutes, thieves, working class stiffs....people on the edge & over the edge. Jesus spent most of his time talking about love and hope, putting others first, about forgiveness and new beginnings.....
What is your image of Christ? How do you represent Him? Do your daily words and actions align with your faith? Are you "religious"?

Hidden Before Our Eyes

The beaches in South Carolina are literally strewn with these tiniest of treasures throughout most of the year. Because they are everywhere in abundance very seldom have I ever seen passersby pause to cherish their beauty. Much of life is like that: that which is in abundance in our lives is taken for granted and goes unnoticed. I strive to live my life in such a way that I am grateful for the little things in life. Each morning, I begin my day by listing at least ten things that I am grateful for. Some days it is hard to come up with ten things. Other days, I can hardly tear myself away from adding to the list. This jump starts my day with an open heart and I find it easier to be giving to others.

Creatures at Nightfall

Sitting lakeside in the forest at nightfall can take some getting used to. Sitting still and quiet, the leaves on the forest floor seemingly come to life, as toads and frogs wake and make their way to the lake. To sit still, long enough, means they may hop and wait, hop and wait, RIGHT next to you!

I have heard that one should do something new &/or scary once a day. My first night at the beach, I headed out well over a mile from civilization. I discovered that the various, "Ghost Crabs" freeze when faced with a light. This guy reminds me of a kitten with his little "paws" tucked under him. When I turned off the light and sat still, the shells seemed to come alive with the skittering of these little fellows. Amazing how the beach could remind me of my forest home.

In capturing the above shot, I did a face plant with my telescoping lens, right into moist sand. The little Canon held up through the next morning, then suddenly seized. Having been shelved for the last 2 years, the HP just doesn't cut it anymore...I have a new "baby" on the way.....and I am very excited!

Following the Light

My grandmother used to say that in life, "there will always be peaks and valleys". When I hit the valleys, I try to stay focused on the upcoming mountain top. We all need hope and life really does seem to ebb and flow like this.

God graced me with this image and it is how I have been feeling lately.
In terms of composition, I am a purist and never crop after the shoot. I took this shot looking straight up. I turned it every direction, but came back to the image as it was shot. I especially like the dark, empty spot above the light, and the tip in the bird's head...Is it on it's way to something new? Looking for a new path? Or has it spied the path and is about to take it?

"But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 41:31

What Is It? (pt.3)

Scottish thistle....this one was extra eager to jump into life. It's a bit early, so I don't know how things will go for cross-pollination, etc. Most folks seemed to think it was a cactus of some sort.
Life is like that. Sometimes we see only the thorns and fear to go any further, when in fact, wonderful things may be found. Other times, we can feel on the verge of something big and want to jump right in. Spontaneity is great, but we have to look at the consequences, and the timing. We have to take very seriously how other people could be effected by our decisions. Ultimately, the only way for any major decision is to seek God's guidance. Sometimes we may think we have all of the information we need, when in fact, there is much more out there that never entered our thoughts. I make my requests known to God but always ask for His will to be done. That way, he who has the big picture in mind, can open or close doors as I need them.

Thoughts of Daryl & Wisteria

Sweet, lavender clusters of floral grapes,
Candy-coloured fragrance of bygone days.

Breezy hammock dozing under draped arbors,
Cottony sky-dreaming while eyelids flicker in & out of shade.

Checkered blanket picnics with teeming wicker baskets,
Candle light and secrets shared to heart-filled eyes overflowing.

White-picket laughter amidst twining purple vines,
Stained-glass, long-ago lore & all things romance.

Country photo shoots, 'neath Blue Ridge Peaks,
Round hay bales on cedar-lined farms of yesteryear.

Macro-grasshoppers on rusty, barbed wire,
And tiny treasures for keen observers eyes.

Sharing mommy moments & warmth of forever friends,
Her spirit entwines my heart as wisteria graces spring.

Sitting Together

London and I were sitting out one evening, on the banks of the lake. Along came a friend....
London, naturally scooped him up. While he gently played with the little creature,along came another friend...

London has to have Uncle Wesley's approval before he can handle any snake and was oh, so sad to simply watch this one (possibly a baby, yellow rat). Strangely, toad and snake didn't seem to take note of each other in the least...not even when the snake slid right over the toad...more validation that, "If you sit quietly and still long enough, the wildlife will come out".

A Curious Eye

These images are from the dock out back. I like them. Tom does, too and he said that most folks just wouldn't think to capture images of things like this. He said that's what makes my eye and gift so special. I love how supportive he is. Enjoy a closer look at everyday things.